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INTO THE BLUE / John Stockwell (2005)

October 5th, 2005 by Scott Marks

Jessica Alba in John Stockwell’s INTO THE BLUE (2005)

Into the Blue (2005)

Directed by: John Stockwell

Written by: Matt Johnson

Cast: Paul Walker, Jessica Alba, Scott Caan, Ashley Scott, Josh Brolin, James Frain, Tyson Beckford, Dwayne Adway, Javon Frazer, Chris Taloa, Peter R.V. Bowleg Jr., Clifford McIntosh, Adam Collins, Gill Montie, Dan Ballard

Aspect Ratio: 2.35 : 1

Running Time: 110 min.

Genres: Action, Adventure, Crime, Drama, Thriller

Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆

Into the Blue gives straight teenagers a chance to ogle Jessica Alba’s ass and pokies and gay boys a shot at surveying Brad Pitt clone Paul Walker’s constant shirtless physique.

Were you expecting dialectical montage?

Somewhere between the crotch and pex shots lurks a story concerning two couples’ discovery of sunken treasures: the multi-million dollar bounty of a legendary shipwreck and a drug trafficker’s submerged airplane loaded with kilos of cocaine.

The Coppertoned leads are certainly easy on the eyes during the opening travelogue passages, but when it comes to the business of acting Alba and Walker can’t stay afloat. Walker is best grinning and baring it while Alba’s method appears to be an uncanny ability to nod along with each syllable she pronounces.

Couple #2 consists of a taller, blonder version of Ms. Alba (Ashley Scott) who, unlike the sexless sex goddess doesn’t mind appearing topless in long shot. Not since Young Guns has a film assembled such an enviable cast of second-generation talent. Scott Caan seems to have been cast in the role of hotheaded party boy Bryce cause his old man played Sonny Corleone. Following in the dynastic footprints of Danny Baldwin and Chris Penn, Caan is another thick-necked ape who, when given a chance, provokes little more than unintentional laughs.

The villain in the piece is played by Josh Brolin, son of James Streisand. If only Josh put as much force into acting as he did into (allegedly) smacking around real-life spouse Diane Lane.

Rounding out the family affair behind the lens is director John Stockwell, son of Blue Velvet’s Dean Stockwell. Following the success of Blue Crush, Stockwell seems to be the go-to man for updating the Beach Party cycle. As a director, Stockwell is best remembered for his acting in John Carpenter’s killer-car film, Christine.

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Filed Under Reviews, Theatrical